So, I was on my way to school today...and I was late by the way!...I got about four blocks from my house...stopped at a stop sign...and just as I was turning left, I heard a popping...or a boom (but not as dramatic as a boom...my husband didn't hear the sound...but he is a little ADD and doesn't pay attention to things anyway...he didn't even notice what I am about to describe to you...and he mentioned that while he was driving the vehicle yesterday he heard a popping or a clicking coming from the wheel, which he figured was probably bad...but nothing to worry about...let alone tell me about!! Artists...anyway...) I heard a noise. I immediately stopped the car, thinking that I had blown a tire. I got out, but all of the tires were fine. Then I noticed that while the passanger side front tire was turned the correct way, the same as the steering wheel, towards the left, the driver's side wheel was not...it was facing to the right. This freaked me out! I have searched and searched on the internet looking for someone who has had a similar problem...for something that might give me hope that I am not going to have to shell out a year's worth of tuition to fix (something that's not a broken axle)...but to no avail. Someone mentioned it might be the U-joint, but front wheel drive vehicles don't have a U-joint...maybe they meant the CV joint, but even searching for problems with the CV joint, I haven't been able to find anything...what do I do??? Please help!

is this on the front? it might be a tie rod.

the popping you heard may have been one of several things

cause 1 a the cv joint -if the vehical is an older model and has never had any work done to the cv joint /axle shafts then they are prone to failure

cause 2 the rack and pinion- if the rack and pinion failed it is quite possible that the front wheels would face oppisite directions bc the rack and pinion its self is nothing more than a spur gear moving a metal bar w spurs but into it also called a rack

as for the tire being truned the oppisite way it could be a tie rod or a drag link broken

Thanks for all your help. It turned out to be that the tie rod was bad. It didn't even break. The screw at the base of the tie rod had become threaded...so it just fell out! Random...huh?